Automatic controlling apparatus for tank-pumps



2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented July 12, 1921.

L. E. WHITON AND H. B. LEE;

AUTOMATIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR TANK PUMPS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13. 1920.

L. E. WHITON AND H. B. LEE.

AUTOMATIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR TANK PUMPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1920. Patented July-12, 1921.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE] LUCIUS E. WHITON AND HENRY B. LEE, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS To THE 1). E. WHITON MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATION.

a AUTOMATIC CONTROLLING- APPARATOS FOR TANKfPUlVlI-PS:

To all whom it may. concern:

Be it known that we, Lucius E. WHITON and HENRY B. LEE, citizens of the United States, residing at New London, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in 'Automatic Controlling 'Apparatus forTankPumps; and Wedo hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying'drawings and the characters of referencemarked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this application, and represent, in- A Figure l, a broken view in sideelevation of a tank-pump installation embodying our improved automatic controlling apparatus, the tank, reatly reduced in size (proportionally), eing shown in vertical section.

Fig. 2, a broken view partly in vertical central section and partly in elevation showing, the motor-controller, the hydraulic controller-operator, and the governor.

V Fig. 3, a detached view in side elevation of the inner end of the hydraulic controlleroperator.

Our invention relates to an improvedautomatic controlling apparatus for tankpumps, the object being to effect an economy of motive power and to reduce the wear of the parts due to repeatedly stopping and starting the apparatusin response to slight falls in water-level which; is "the principle on which apparatus ofthi'scharacter is now generally operated. y

-lVith these ends in view, our invention consists in an automatic controlling apparatus for tank-pumps, operated on the principle of a high anda low water-level, and havinga tank, a tank-pump, a. motor therefor, a motor-controller, and a hydraulic motor-controller operator including a siphon the high and low points of which substantially coincide with predetermined high and low water-l-evels in the tank.

In carrying out our invention, as herein shown, we employ a hydraulic motorcontroller operator having a siphon the; short leg 2 of whiohis' located within the tank 3 and extended downward thereinto to the low water-level thereof represented by the line 4 while its upper end is connected with a short horizontal pipe 5 lo- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J ly 12 1921 Application filed March 13, 1920. Serial No. 365,654. I

cated at the high water-level 6 of the tank in which it is mounted just below the edge thereof. The longleg 7 of the siphon, is located outside of the tank and connected 1ts upper end with the outer end of the pipe 5. and discharges at its lower'end' into the watenpressurechamber'8 of ahydra ulic motor-controller:operator which is provided with a horizontally. arranged, reciprocating operating-head 9 suspended, as it were,

by and between vertically arranged diaphragmsdO; and 11 of which the former forms the inner wall of the said water- .pre ssure chamber 8, while the latter suspends the'inner end ofthe said head 9 and forms the inner wall of a spring-chamber 12 containing a helical adjusting-spring 13 the tension of which isiregulated by an ad usting-screw 14, the said spring and screw being cO-aXial with the head 9and the two .diaphragms. The said waterpressure chamber 8 is provided at its lower .end with an adjustable drip-cock 15 normally left open. The said operatingl1ead9 is formed with a circumferential groove 16 receiving the upper end 17 of a controller-lever hung upon a stud 18 and having its lower arm 19 engaged with the extension 20 of a governor-lever 21 hungupon a stud 22 and having its lower end formed with a fork 23 entered between collars 24 and 25 upon the projecting outer end of the valve-stem 26 of the balanced steam valve 27 of the motor- The said balanced-valve 27 is located within a casing 28' having a steam-inlet 29.

A helical-spring 30. surrounding the stem 26 tends normally to open the said valve.

As shown, the apparatus is provided with an emergencygovernor unit which may also be of any standard construction. As shown, the said governor has a horizontally arranged spinclle 31 engaging at its outer end with the upper end of the lever 21 and having bearing and endwise movement in a nut 32 by which the governor-spring 33 is adjusted as required. At its inner end, the said spindle co-acts with two complementary weights 34 pivotally hung in a cup-like head 35 secured to the projecting end of the main-shaft 36 of the steam turbine 37, which may be of any approved construct on and is connected by a flanged coupling 38 with a centrifugal pump 39, also of'any approved construction, and connected by a pipe 4c0- with the tank 3, the said pipe 40 comprising a T 41 for connection with the service-pipe 4:2. 7 For convenience of illustration, the

tank 3 and servicepipe e2 have been drawnout of scale.

As already explained, our improved appa ratus is designed for operation on the principle of a high and a low water-level. When the tank '3 has been filled to its high waterlevel 6, the pump is automatically stopped by the creation of'an amount oflwater-pressure in the chamber 8 sufficient to act upon the diaphragm 10 to move the operating- '-he'ad 9-from left to right against the pressureof the spring13 enough to operate the controller-leven17, which in turn acts upon the governonlever 21, which in turn operates the valve 27 of the motor-controller to shut off the steam and hence stop the turbo-pump, the-pressure in the chamber 8 being'created by the overflow of water rising through the maintenance of pressure therein and to replace the water which is constantly dripping therefrom through the cock 15, it being necessary to maintain pressure within the water-pressure chamber 8 during the entire period while the water in the tank is being drawn down from its high level to its low level,"since it is the pressure in the chamber 8 which is relied'upon to keep thesteamcontrol valve closed, whereby the turbopump is kept out of action. VV'hen the water in the tank'has been drawn down toits low level and therefore below the'lower end ofthe short leg 2 of the siphon, no more water will enter the same from the tank, but

all of the water in the siphon at the time will be passed through the same and through the waterrpressure chamber 8 and out of the drip-cock 15. As soon, in this brief interval, as the pressure in the chamber 8 falls below. the power exerted by the spring 12, the same will re-assert itself andmove and operatethe head 9 from right to left, whereby the controller-lever will be operated and act upon the governor-lever 21, which will, in turn, release the spring-actuated balanced-valve 29 so as to re-admit steam to the vturbine, which will start the pump which will continue to operate until thetank has been re-filled to its high level, at which time the water flowing through'the siphon restores the pressure in the water chamber '8 sufficiently to act upon the operating-head 9 to'move the same, as required,- for shutting off the steam and so stopping the turbine and pump.

' It will be seen from the foregoing that the number of times which the apparatus is stopped and started, is reduced to a minimum, as it is'only started when the low water-level has been reached in the tank, whereas in ordinary practice, the pump is started in response to slight falls in water-level.

lVhile our apparatus, as described, employes a turbo-pump for filling -thetank, it

is apparent that an electrically driven pump, could becontrolled'in the same way by substituting a rheostat for the steam-control valve. 7

In an automatic controlling apparatus for tank-pumps, the combination with atank,

of a tank-pump, a motor therefor, a motorcontroller, and a hydraulic motor-controller operator including a siphon the high and low points of which substantially coincide with pro-determined high and low waterlevels in the tank, i Y

In testimony whereofwe have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' .LUCIUS E. \VHITON.

HENRY B. LEE. i

\Vitnesses: i

M. J CHANDLER,

EDWARD P. Eecnnsron. 

